Noodles and Rice

Japanese Canned Coffee

by Tom on May 31st, 2007

If you are stuck on a cold rainy corner of any busy Japanese city, there are three things that are likely to come to mind: 

1. How do I get warm
2. How do I get something into my stomach
3. How  do I do it without standing in one of the unending queues that lead to just about every place that has anything warm to put in your stomach

The answer is probably no further than 100m in any direction, and it comes in the form of a vending machine full of cans of hot coffee. 

I should first point out that I am not trying to claim that these machines actually dispense something that is really coffee.  Despite what the cans advertise, the contents are almost exclusively hot, sweet, milky, something.  But whatever it is, it’s not like real coffee.  If you can get past this one problem of product definition, you can really grow to enjoy Japanese canned coffee.

The coffee is hot in winter and gradually is replaced by cold versions over summer.  There are about a million and one different varieties but there are very few different actual tastes.  They are made by a handful of companies and each company seeks to target different consumers with different packaging, graphics and messages.  Basically, though, the message is this: “Drink this particular coffee and you will appear more sophisticated, beautiful/handsome and will probably get the respect of every one who sees you”.  In reality, drinking a can of coffee is no way to distinguish yourself in Japan because everyone does it. 

My survival tip for people in Japan over winter is this.  Always carry 120 yen in your pocket because that is the most you will pay for a canned coffee and it may one day save your life.

Note for further research:  What is actually in a can of “coffee”?  Is it legal? Is it toxic? Is it true that it includes a byproduct of either the gambling industry or the logging of native old-growth wales? If so, how come it tastes so good?

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POSTED IN: Appetizers/Snacks/Nibbles, Drinks : Asian Cuisine, Japanese, Street Food